Open Your Gates
by Withoutheremo
Summary: My lungs are locked tight, nothing entering, nothing escaping. My head pounded and my throat burned. I know im not welcomed in your house...but please...will you open your gates?


The water is cold. My suit is wet. How much longer must I stay under? Close my eyes and concentrate. My lungs fill with air, not water. I see a light and I feel warmth. The air is sweet and I open my mouth to taste it. Delicious orange tang fills my mouth and I almost swallow.

"I can stay this way forever," Im sure. But time has run out, I realize.

"The torture has begun." I feel the cold around me and my lungs ache, suddenly, for air. I open my eyes in panic.

"Where am I?" The memory flashes back through my mind. I try to sit up, the surface is right above me. But a weight is holding me down, inside this pool of water. The mystical being shook its head (something is pulling at the memory cabinet at the back of my mind) and held me down. I glared, staring into those green-brown cinnamon eyes. Does it need to breathe (it glared back)? I couldn't breathe; my hands swam to my neck. The creature understood, it knew. Dragging me back to the surface, (gasping) and panted for air (human indeed). Memories flew through my mind (perhaps the oxygen stole it) and the mystical being was MeyugaKoji.

"That hurt a good deal." Panting my lungs ached for a cigarette. I reached into my jacket, laying on the ground. Camels, 3 more left. Koji moved toward me, whimpering apologies (her tan-white wings hid behind her back. Nice fox ears flat against her head). I lit a cigarette against her will (she hated for me to smoke them). Her frail voice called out with love and care, a bit of anger (didn't she hate me?).

"John, don't smoke…" I went to ignore the plead in her voice and almost flinched when I turned and saw the past hurt in her eyes. Sighing, the only sound of a cigarette hitting the ground. Was she perhaps looking into my soul?

The moment over, the silence breaking. My feet crunched the gravel below it, walking back to my home; my hell. But my body blurred in my mental eye (I could see myself falling). Koji's voice rang out in my ears (what was she saying?) as I fell lower. My throat burned and itched and a liquid was stuck in my throat. Her words cleared in my head but I couldn't walk and vision was blurred.

"John!" She called out. My head throbbed with pain and frustration. Millions and millions around me, heat scorched my face and burned my throat. Coughing up blood, up something black. Coughing, tears come to my eyes (am I going to die?). Koji must've saw. No, she saw. Tears come to her beautiful eyes. It hurt me. Why does it hurt?

"John Constantine?" A voice crawled into my mind. Of course it was ominous. Lucifer is coming for me personally (But must I die? No…). My voice stiff, but I can feel it call out. Harsh but gentle for a soul that would save me.

"Koji.." My voice said weakly. I felt a touch, a hand cradling my face.

"John.." A soft voice called out. The heat died down, demons disappearing. My skin burned, but she didn't mind. She only cradled me closer. Sighing with love and reassurance. Then soft lips touched mine. Her breath filled me. My body tensed, my legs twitched to shape her, my body wanted hers. But pain stopped, as I could only breathe (as though it still hurt). I stood and tried to move forward (succeeded) and walked slowly back to the apartment (regaining control). We talked. My gratitude toward her was barely shown. My chest throbbed, but not with pain (something else?) but perhaps… (No..). Not paying attention, I turned into my house (No goodbye, no smile… "Hm.")

Later, maybe twelve, I was sleeping. The phone rings (I still have her sisters phone?). Stretching and cursing (tired), I answer, ready to be purposely rude. But a voice speaks, before I can say.

"John?"

The name 'Inko' runs across the phones screen but I know the voice (far to familiar) belonged to Koji

"Hm?" My voice hurt…Cigarette.

"Constantine stop smoking!" She giggled. My chest floated up or was that my heart? We spoke and she laughed every moment, laughing for both I and her. Hours later she left, and that ringing voice in my head died away. But a sudden knock at my door (annoyed groan). The is opened and once again the mystical being is there. Goodnights exchanged and wombs (scratches) mended, I lay back down and rest as she moves throughout my small apartment.

Clicking of a opening microwave, clinking of glass hitting a glass (hopefully for water). A glass breaking and a annoyed groan. I chuckled quietly. A small screeching (Amytiville Screech Beetle, perhaps Bee's toy.) noise.

"Cool!" Erupted from the kitchen. The Beetle, of course. More sighs and then silence., (should I check where she is?). Perhaps she was sneaking up on me, but then I heard a flush and a door shutting. Now I feel a weight beside me, a head on my chest, a giggle in my ear.

We talked (nothing happening) and her mood filled the mourning air. [Before, I remembered as I was dying slowly from lung cancer and lack of oxygen,; Her saying 'I love you and I would die for you.'. Now a though pulsed through my mind.

"Im too old for this." I mumbled (I've decided that if she runs away from this comment then she's not the one.). Shoulders risen in annoyance along with voice she hisses playfully.

"Your only 27, shut up."

"Im 43." (But if she doesn't..)

Her eyes are wide and her face supports shock.

"But you look so young!" Time elapsed and I explain my short visit in Hell. More comments on how well I looked and I tell her.

"You're going to marry me." She shrugged it off as I hoped and I asked about the ring type.

She wrapped her arms around my chest and kisses my neck. I shivered and prayed that she was the one. That she was my redemption. Her lips shaped mine; my body shaped hers. Traveling hands and open palms, the breeze against us.

But later at night, I open my eyes, and she is gone.

My eyes are closed again and I try to breathing in the scent of what is left of her. Then days pass and then weeks.

I miss her.

I miss my redemption.

Where is she?


End file.
